Waste water production with oil and gas is a challenge for the oil and natural gas industry. During the production of oil and natural gas, the oil and natural gas sometimes also includes water (for example, water-cut). The water produced through wells can originate from the hydrocarbon bearing zones, from aquifers that are near the hydrocarbon bearing zones, or from water that is injected downhole. Water may be injected downhole to improve reservoir sweep efficiency for pressure maintenance. Various chemicals are sometimes also mixed with the injection water to improve the reservoir sweep efficiency. When produced at the surface, this mixture of water, oil and gas can create a concern from an environmental stand point. In wells that are drilled into mature reservoirs the water-cut can increase, reducing the economic viability of the well and thus sometimes resulting in abandonment of wells.
In previous solutions, hydrocarbons and water are produced and separated at the surface. Previous solutions also include blocking the water encroachment by mechanical means, chemicals, controlled production, or some combination of these approaches. Such solutions often adversely compromise the oil production capacity of wells.